Many consumers of cosmetic products show an increasing desire for new products which are pleasing to the senses both on application and in use and which have new, interesting and/or pleasing textures, preferably without any sacrifice of functional performance. Most existing cosmetic compositions are generally provided in forms such as solutions, pastes, aerosols, foams, gels and creams which are alternatively either essentially fluid or heavy and thick.
Conventional cosmetic compositions in the form of creams are generally emulsions. Emulsions comprise an aqueous phase and an oily phase dispersed in one another either as an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion where the external phase is the aqueous phase, or as water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions comprising an oily external phase. While such emulsions are commonplace in cosmetic formulations and can provide various positive effects such as moisturizing, they can feel heavy on the skin and hair and often impart an oily feel upon application.
Other conventional cosmetic compositions delivered in the form of a foam can alleviate the heavy feel associated with creamy emulsion, but foams are generally not stable long term and will eventually collapse on standing or in storage. Other conventional cosmetic compositions forms have drawbacks as well. For example, aerosols generally contain flammable contents under pressure which creates some danger and upon use they expel propellant gases into the atmosphere. While cosmetic compositions in the form of solutions and fluid creams can address some of these concerns, such formulations are not always suitable for various applications where a liquid or low viscosity form is not convenient such as, for example, controlled spot application to the skin or application to the hair outside of the shower or bath.
Attempts have been made to confer a novel texture on conventional emulsions by introducing air into the emulsions to give them a lighter texture and the appearance of a foam. However, such attempts at aerated emulsions suffered from the disadvantage of being relatively unstable, collapsing back to a thick emulsion or undergoing phase separation after a certain storage time. Various additives and combinations of certain polymers have been proposed for providing stable low density emulsions for cosmetic use but have failed to yield satisfactory formulations from both a sensory and functional perspective.
Thus, the provision of cosmetic products in the form of low density formulations, with or without the presence of an oil phase-containing emulsion, is desirable.